Oct 28 was the day I somewhat naively went to the hospital for my cell reinfusion. In early October I had gone to Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton to have my T cells taken out. The process involved being hooked up to a machine that drew blood out of me through a port, that in my case was installed in early October. The machine extracts what it wants and your remaining blood goes back into you. Just like on a hospital show the bag is put in a cooler and sent to its destination, in this case a lab in California. They're the cells were modified to recognize the cancer cells in my body. Healthy T cells recognize and fight foreign cells like viruses and cancer. I always find God's timing fascinating. Since having lymphoma from 2011, stem cell was always the next step if chemo no longer worked and I was in process for stem cell in 2022 but then after church fasting and prayer I went into a remission. Cancer resurfaced and in 2024 this new thing called car t was suggested, it was overtaking stem cell for my type of cancer. In the meantime a secondary cancer reared its head and they had to act fast with chemotherapy. Cancer resurfaced again in 2025 and the process begin for car t. So many things happened in that year that positioned us better including downsizing our home. We moved spring of 2025. The process of getting my cells reinfused on October 28th was fascinating. They are brought in frozen, everything is timed with all of the Specialists there, they thaw them to a set temperature and then they were put into my body through the port. These little Pac-Man are now set loose and the watch and wait of side effects began. For a while it looked like I might even get out of the hospital for my anniversary on November 6th. The big thing is that they watch for are fever, confusion and loss of speech. These are our result of these cells causing inflammation and if they decide to go into the brain area inflammation there as well. I ended up experiencing all of these. On November 1st I had a blood transfusion, not something that is not unexpected during this process. They are constantly watching blood counts and will be for some time. On November 2nd I had a fever of 39.4. On November 3rd when they were doing my four times daily vital check and cognitive check I was basically blank cognitively. They called my wife who thankfully was at the hospital by that time and explained to her what she could expect. I do not remember this at all but I was talking a foreign language which I know none of and not making sense at all. That was when they introduced the steroids which are specifically to address these side effects. The steroids are introduced four times daily and one needs to be off them for at least 24 hours before they can be released from the hospital. Things gradually improved and I gained a crazy appetite from these steroids, such that I could eat a meal and eat another one like an hour or two later. When one is being monitored at least four times a day and you have someone beside you also on a schedule like that and in his case more intense, sleep becomes a challenge. The hospital is not a great place to rest. As that week went by they slowly started weaning me again off of steroids with the intervals becoming less each day. On Friday November 7 I was told I would probably be released by Monday November 10. We were even given our outpatient medications. However on Sunday November 9th I had another bout of confusion. When they came in to do my cognitive testing early that morning I did not pass. Cognitive testing includes writing a sentence, answering where I was including city, Hospital and telling them what year and months it was. Also had to name the objects they hold up and count backwards in tens from 100. They reordered the steroids. An hour later I was find and could pass the test but they had already ordered the steroids and the process begin again. The nurses were sympathetic but protocol is protocol . I went for another head CT and also a head MRI that day. CT was clear again. It took several days to get the MRI back but the residual that they saw on it was consistent with how I was behaving. So take two at trying to get off the steroids began. It started again four times a day and then by Saturday November 15th I received my final dose, a 1/2 dose. On Monday November 17th the nurse practitioner came in. I very much appreciated how she handled things. She wanted to know how my wife and I both felt about me being released. She explained that in theory I could be released that day because I was off the steroids for more than 24 hours and was passing the testing. However she said if I was more comfortable staying I could do that also. She was very understanding of my explanation that I really needed rest. We were released and the outpatient follow up began on Wednesday November 19th. During these sessions they provide hydration through my port, take blood and then a outpatient nurse practitioner reviews the blood results and any top-ups they may need to do. Blood work is not expected to be normal but they do want to see it within what they consider normal at that stage. I did not need top-ups during either my November 19th or 21st visits. I fully expect that I will at some point. At this point they are watching my liver closely as it's count is quite High. I am thrilled to be able to say that I have been able to rest better at the hotel, eat well and get out side some. Trying to walk a kilometer a day. I am so grateful for my Lord Jesus Christ and savior. When I am down he is there. It's not easy to be the main caretaker as my wife is, or to be my family and close loved ones. There are many ups and downs in this journey and we all deal with them in our individual way. God has impressed on me to pray for strength and courage. The recovery is not typically a short one. To put that into perspective they typically look at reintroducing childhood shots around the 6-month mark. When released here from the Hamilton Hospital my follow-up will continue from Kitchener. I am very grateful for that. Thank you all for your support in so many different ways. Spending time on the cancer floor bring so many needs to one's attention. Yesterday I sat across from a young man, I'm guessing early twenties and he is facing stem cell. There are no age limits. Young and it attacks. My prayers go up for those I come in contact with. For those of you from my home area that are on a cancer Journey and whom I have gotten to know, prayers and thoughts are with you.
